Monterey County County Administrative Office LEW C. Bauman*

Emergency calls often interfere with lunch breaks; often these breaks are not taken because of the amount of work required of each employee. Response F-9: The Board of Supervisors agrees with this finding. The Department's highest priority is the safety of children and the work that must be conducted with children, their families, caregivers and other partners in keeping children safe and promoting family stability. The responsibility to respond to these priorities is not put off until later. Timeliness is critical to abuse and neglect investigation, it would be unacceptable practice to cut short or interrupt an emergency response to take a break. It should be noted that supervisors make every effort to support the professional social worker's efforts to manage their time and take breaks when needed. Monterey County Board of Supervisors Response to the Finding F-10: FCS Branch and the Monterey County DSS offices are difficult for the public to locate due to lack of both exterior and interior signage. Response F-10: The Board of Supervisors disagrees partially with this finding. The Department concurs that exterior signage along Main Street does not reference the Department of Social Services. The exterior signage that is in place is for the Department's Community Benefit Branch lobby that serves public assistance customers who come to 1000 S. Main Street, Salinas to apply for assistance. That signage is over the Community Benefits lobby that is accessed from the parking lot. This exterior signage is critical to better direct the vast majority of departmental customers who arrive at the Department, often with no appointments, to apply for public assistance benefits. Typically, customers of Family and Children's Services who come to the office have pre-arranged appointments. It is also important to note that the Department of Social Services is not the only occupant of the building at 1000 S. Main Street, Salinas. Occupants also include the United States Bankruptcy Court, the Monterey County Health Department's Behavioral Health Bureau and the Monterey County Office of Education. Additionally, it is noted that concerns about the building's exterior signage have not been previously raised by community members. With regard to interior signage, the Department does not concur with this finding. There are prominent directories and maps of the facility as one enters the building and next to the centrally located elevators. There is signage on the entry to the Family and Children's Services lobby. Suite numbers are prominently displayed above all doors. REPORT TITLE: Family and Children's Services - A Stressful Work Environment RESPONSE BY: Monterey County Board of Supervisors RESPONSE TO: Recommendations R-1 through R-12 Recommendation R-1: The FCS Branch implement a "Zero Tolerance Policy" for anger in the interactions between all staff. Response R-1: The recommendation will not be implemented because the County and the Department currently have policies for non-discrimination, respect in the workplace and zero tolerance for violence in the workplace. However, a zero tolerance policy for anger in interactions between staff would be contrary to the emotional health of employees, difficult to substantiate based on the subjectivity of interactions, and likely result in an unmanageable workplace. A page from the American Psychological Association's brochure on understanding and controlling anger provides more background (http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx). The Nature of Anger Anger is "an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage," according to Charles Spielberger, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger. Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Anger can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a specific person (Such as a coworker or supervisor) or event (a traffic jam, a canceled flight), or your anger could be caused by worrying or brooding about your personal problems. Memories of traumatic or enraging events can also trigger angry feelings. Expressing Anger The instinctive, natural way to express anger is to respond aggressively. Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats; it inspires powerful, often aggressive, feelings and behaviors, which allow us to fight and to defend ourselves when we are attacked. A certain amount of anger, therefore, is necessary to our survival. On the other hand, we can't physically lash out at every person or object that irritates or annoys us; laws, social norms, and common sense place limits on how far our anger can take us. People use a variety of both conscious and unconscious processes to deal with their angry feelings. The three main approaches are expressing, suppressing, and calming. Expressing your angry feelings in an assertive—not aggressive—manner is the healthiest way to express anger. To do this, you have to learn how to make clear what your needs are, and how to get them met, without hurting others. Being assertive doesn't mean being pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others. Anger can be suppressed, and then converted or redirected. This happens when you hold in your anger, stop thinking about it, and focus on something positive. The aim is to inhibit or suppress your anger and convert it into more constructive behavior. The danger in this type of response is that if it isn't allowed outward expression, your anger can turn inward—on yourself. Anger turned inward may cause hypertension, high blood pressure, or depression. Unexpressed anger can create other problems. It can lead to pathological expressions of anger, such as passive- aggressive behavior (getting back at people indirectly, without telling them why, rather than confronting them head- on) or a personality that seems perpetually cynical and hostile. People who are constantly putting others down, criticizing everything, and making cynical comments haven't learned how to constructively express their anger. Not surprisingly, they aren't likely to have many successful relationships. Finally, you can calm down inside. This means not just controlling your outward behavior, but also controlling your internal responses, taking steps to lower your heart rate, calm yourself down, and let the feelings subside. As Dr. Spielberger notes, "when none of these three techniques work, that's when someone—or something—is going to get hurt." In understanding that anger is an emotion that cannot be simply erased, the Department will continue to abide by its policy of respect, freedom from discrimination, and zero tolerance for Monterey County Board of Supervisors Response to the violence in the workplace. Recommendation R-2: The FCS Branch provide training for emotional intelligence, work stress, and communication skills for all staff. Response R-2: The recommendation has been implemented. The Department does not use training that specifically highlights the Emotional Intelligence framework which was originally developed in the early 1980's. However, the training curriculum for staff which has been in place since approximately 2005, as discussed in response to Finding F-1 includes a session on Stress Management in Child Welfare Practice that addresses the emotional and traumatic nature of child welfare work. The Department also augments this element of core training by providing training to all staff by experts in trauma and compassion fatigue. Additionally, the core supervisory curriculum as listed in response to Finding F-2 includes a module on "Understanding Self as Supervisor" and a module on "Worker Well-Being." To further enhance skills and supplement the existing training that was developed by expert professionals and academicians in the field of child welfare, the Department will work with the County's Learning and Development Network to enroll Family and Children's Services supervisors in the "Crucial Conversations" class by September 2016. Recommendation R-3: The FCS Branch enforce the policy of requiring supervisors to meet with employees one on-one on a monthly basis. Response R-3: The recommendation has been implemented. This has been and is currently a departmental policy except when cancellation is unavoidable due to Illness, vacation or necessary business priorities. If there is a cancellation it is expected that either there are no pending issues that would be a surprise at the next scheduled conference or it be rescheduled. Additionally, due to the nature of the work supervisors and staff currently meet to discuss casework and workplace issues much more frequently than the monthly formal conference. The success of supervisorial work with employees is demonstrated by the outcomes achieved by the Family and Children's Services team as a whole: line staff, supervisors, managers and support staff. When compared to 57 other California counties, this dedicated group of public servants achieves: Lower than statewide rates of child maltreatment reoccurring after intervention (it has . averaged 1.5% less than statewide rates over the past 5 years, however data for the most recent period of review April 2014 through September 2014 shows an uptick to 1.7% greater than statewide); Among the lowest rates of placement in foster care (consistently between the fifth and sixth lowest placement rates in the state over the past 5 years); and, Low rates of return to foster care after reuniting families (more than 4% below statewide rates over the past 5 years). This data demonstrates the effectiveness of the support and supervision offered to staff. Child welfare outcomes are available at http://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelfare/Ccfsr.aspx. Recommendation R-4: The FCS Branch provide time for employees to devote to training without interruption. Response R-4: The recommendation will not be implemented because child safety, permanence and well-being are the Department's first priority. Additionally, requirements for court responsiveness are also respected and prioritized. If needs in these priority areas arise, training may be interrupted. Recommendation R-5: The FCS Branch assign supervisors to units only after those supervisors have had experience and training in those units. Response R-5: The recommendation will not be implemented because it is contrary to federally required merit hiring principles. The Department will continue to provide opportunities for promotion to employees whose experience has been in any part of the child welfare program and to other candidates who meet the qualifications for the position and successfully compete for the job. Orientation, support and training will continue to be offered to new supervisors or supervisors who rotate from one functional area to another. Recommendation R-6: The FCS Branch assign supervisors and staff to jobs that reflect individual abilities and provide training and sufficient orientation to develop and support those abilities. Response R-6: The recommendation has been implemented. Under Federal law and the Department's existing practice social workers and supervisors are hired based on their overall abilities through a competitive merit system. It is expected that all workers can do the job within the job classification for which they are hired. Rotations and transfers are necessary to meet service delivery necessity, to cross train employees and to balance the assignment of work. Core and ongoing training requirements span the functional areas of child welfare. Additionally, support and orientation are provided to employees when they are assigned to new functional areas within their job classification. The success of staff across assignments is demonstrated by the outcomes achieved by the Family and Children's Services team: line staff, supervisors, managers and support staff. When compared to 57 other California counties, this dedicated group of public servants achieves: Lower than statewide rates of child maltreatment reoccurring after intervention (it has . averaged 1.5% less than statewide rates over the past 5 years, however data for the most recent period of review April 2014 through September 2014 shows an uptick to 1.7% greater than statewide); Among the lowest rates of placement in foster care (consistently between the fifth and sixth lowest placement rates in the state over the past 5 years); and, Low rates of return to foster care after reuniting families (more than 4% below statewide rates over the past 5 years). This data demonstrates the effectiveness of the staffing efforts within Family and Children's Services. Child welfare outcomes are available at http://cssr.berkelev.edu/ucb_childwelfare/Ccfsr.aspx. Monterey County Board of Supervisors Response to the Recommendation R-7: The monthly supervisory meetings be used, and documented, to resolve all individual matters such as personal leave, workload efficiency, and general progress. There should be no surprises at evaluation time. Response R-7: The recommendation has been implemented. This is the Department's current practice. Conference notes are prepared after formal conferences to document discussions. In reviewing documents requested by the Grand Jury from the supervisory files of 13 social workers and social work supervisors, it was noted that in 10 of the 13 (77%) supervisory files there were conference forms documenting discussions between supervisors/managers and their employees. These conference forms included discussion on such matters as personal leave, workload efficiency, and general progress. It is also noteworthy that the Family and Children's Services Branch completed 100% of the evaluations for staff members that were due between April 2014 and May 2015. Recommendation R-8: Staff meetings, both for individual units, programs, and all staff be held regularly. Program managers should attend these. The agency director should also attend "all staff" meetings, and solicit input from line staff so that they maintain an awareness of the morale of the office. Response R-8: The recommendation has been implemented. This recommendation is part of the Department's current practice. Regular unit meeting and program manager meetings with supervisors are expected to occur monthly. Exceptions are acknowledged for occasional absences or other business necessities that preclude these meetings from occurring. Program managers attend unit meetings as requested and hold staff meetings with all members of the staff in each program area as needed. There is also an annual all staff meeting. The Department Head holds monthly Director's Dialogues that are open to staff throughout the Department, including those in Family and Children's Services. Input from staff present is always encouraged. Recommendation R-9: FCS Branch require transparency in procedures and case assignments. Response R-9: The recommendation has not been implemented but will be implemented by September 2015. Family and Children's Services procedures are currently published and kept up to date on the Department's intranet web site that is available to all staff. Case assignments for each worker are not currently distributed in all units. By September 2015 the Department will make caseload assignment levels available within each case carrying unit on a monthly basis. It is important to note that there will always be differences in the numbers of cases assigned to individual workers due to issues such as the complexities of the case, the status of the case, accommodation of employee leaves, and the impact of other required modifications of workload (e.g. new employees, employee classification, functional area of assignment, etc). Recommendation R-10: The FCS Branch management be observant regarding whether employees have had a half hour respite at appropriate times. Response R-10: The recommendation has been implemented. Professional social workers are encouraged to manage their time and take needed breaks. Staff members covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act are provided with breaks as appropriate. If the continuity of appointments or emergent needs delay breaks, then employees are encouraged to take breaks at alternate times. Recommendation R-11: The building at 1000 South Main Street in Salinas be provided with signage to clearly inform the public that it is the location of the Monterey County Department of Social Services and the FCS Branch. Response R-11: The recommendation has not yet been implemented but will be implemented by December 2015. The Department concurs that exterior signage along Main Street does not reference the Department of Social Services. Currently exterior signage in the Department's parking lot is designed to assist the vast majority of public customers who come to the Department to apply for Community Benefits public assistance programs, these customers typically do not have appointments. Customers of Family and Children's Services typically have pre-arranged appointments when they come to the office. The Department is beginning architectural design work over the summer of 2015 to redesign and relocate the Community Benefits lobby. This project will include new exterior signage. The timeline has not yet been developed. As an interim measure, the Department will provide signage in the windows along South Main Street by December, 2015. Recommendation R-12: The building be provided with interior signage to help guide the public to the appropriate offices. Response R-12: The recommendation has been implemented. Directories of offices are prominently placed by the building's main entrance, both outside the building and inside the building. They are also centrally located by the elevators. Monterey County Board of Supervisors Response to the